The Domaine Sigalas 2025 Santorini Assyrtiko offers a youthful and approachable expression of the variety with aromas of chamomile, confit lemon, quince and Mediterranean herbs, including sage. Compared to the estate's more ambitious bottlings, this wine is simpler and more immediate, emphasizing texture and drinkability over mineral complexity. The palate is rich, slightly oily and pleasantly textured, with enough acidity to maintain sharpness. Produced in 45,000 bottles from vines more than 60 years old rooted in the volcanic soils of Oia, where pumice, lava and pyroclastic materials shape the vineyard landscape, the wine ages on its lees for at least four months. First released in 1991, this is one of the earliest 100% Assyrtiko wines from Santorini, and it remains an important benchmark. - Reviewed by Monica Larner

Founded in 1991 by Paris Sigalas, Domaine Sigalas helped establish Santorini as one of the world's great white wine regions and was among the first wineries to champion 100% Assyrtiko bottlings from the island. Today, the estate farms approximately 45 hectares of owned and leased vineyards in northern Santorini, centered around the picturesque village of Oia with its whitewashed buildings and blue church domes, where ancient own-rooted vines thrive in phylloxera-free volcanic soils of pumice, lava and pyroclastic rock. The combination of extreme drought, persistent winds, traditional kouloura basket vine training and the nightly sea mist from the volcanic caldera creates one of the most distinctive viticultural landscapes in the world.

A new chapter began in 2025 when Domaine Sigalas came under the full ownership of Kir-Yianni, formalizing a partnership that began in 2009. Today, winemaker Sara Iakovidou works alongside vineyard manager Stratos Xyrafis and Yiannis Boutaris, representing the next generation of one of Greece's most influential wine families.

Santorini rarely exceeds 300 to 350 millimeters of rainfall in an average year, but a succession of increasingly dry vintages has placed enormous pressure on the island's vineyards. Like virtually every producer on Santorini, Domaine Sigalas is struggling to secure the fruit needed to maintain the production levels of the past. As yields decline and old vineyards become more vulnerable, the conversation has shifted from growth to preservation. Through investments in vineyard management, sustainability initiatives and water-conservation projects, Domaine Sigalas is a powerful voice working to safeguard the long-term future of Santorini's unique viticultural heritage.